This version of the Mercedes SL is only the sixth to carry that iconic nameplate since the car’s introduction in the 1950s. A new model is a landmark moment.
Mercedes’ roadster has long had a reputation for performance, efficiency, refinement and dynamics. What is harder to quantify is the luxury, desirability and open-air sporting thrill. The latest incarnation of the SL, however, delivers on all fronts.
The significance of this car cannot be understated. It is Mercedes’ first series production model to be made almost entirely from aluminium. And its clever audio and windscreen wiper technology will doubtless filter down to lesser models.
The car’s lightweight structure combines die cast, chill cast, stamped and extruded aluminium with a little magnesium and ultra-high-strength steel. This means the sixth SL is up to 140kg lighter than the model it replaces. A new underbody has raised torsional stiffness by around 20 per cent – crucial for comfort, refinement, and dynamics.
The new car comes with a 3.5-litre V6 in the SL350 or a 4.7-litre V8 in the SL500 tested here. The larger-capacity unit offers the biggest step forward in performance and efficiency. Its 435bhp represents a 12 per cent increase, while its 516lb ft of torque has grown by 32 per cent. Those figures make the 0-62mph time of 4.6sec a reality – it’s a time that matches the old SL63 AMG. Given the performance, a claimed 31mpg on the combined cycle is impressive. The SL500’s V8 is hushed at idle and only raises its voice to announce itself at start up. If you want a throaty roar on the move, you’ll have to get the SL63. The gearbox is smooth, in a way only obsessive attention to detail can produce.
The SL350 develops 306bhp and 273lb ft for a 5.9sec 0-62mph. It is 30 per cent more economical than the model it replaces, with a claimed 41.5mpg on the combined cycle. Economy is boosted with standard-fit start-stop technology and a seven-speed automatic transmission optimised for fuel saving.
The suspension is multi-linked front and rear, and steel springs with adaptive damping are standard on both the SL350 and SL500. The air-sprung Active Body Control is on the options list, but will be fitted as standard to the new SL63 AMG flagship.
Mercedes has evolved the SL design, rather than reinventing it. The basic concept of short overhangs remains, and the look is cleaner than before – itself a nod to the iconic Pagoda SL. Sadly, there’s little difference between the SL and the SLK or SLS in Mercedes range. And that isn’t enough for such an iconic model.
It is far more satisfying to sit in the SL than it is to look at. The driver is seated at a discreet distance from the passenger, and the cabin is wider than before. Fine leather, metal trim and aero-inspired instruments all add to the sense of occasion.
There’s no doubting the SL’s ride comfort. It glides over broken blacktop, where a gentle bobbing is the car’s most revealing objection to what’s passing underneath. Even with the roof down, there’s no suggestion that the chassis is stressed. Open-top motoring doesn’t get more refined.
Naturally, a car so capable of smooth cruising will never lead its rivals in poise and response. But in a world where sports cars are honed to within an inch of their appeal on the world’s race tracks, it is a breath of fresh air. The car’s heartland customers wouldn’t want it any other way. If it meant compromise, neither would we.
That’s not to say there’s no traditional point-to-point thrills available. The standard steel-sprung suspension set-up is preferable, in our eyes, to the Active Body Control system. The basic configuration delivered an edge on steering feedback, damping and wheel control.
With a smooth ride and agile chassis, the SL500 hooks into a relaxed, undemanding gait with ease. It rewards well-prepared swiftness more than drivers looking to get somewhere frenetically. There is much enjoyment to be had in riding the engine’s swell of torque, rather than hitting the kickdown switch.
It’s hard not to be seduced by 500lb ft of torque, particularly when the car is operating in the searing mid-range. It’s easy to get carried away, but the SL500’s brakes are strong, the grip levels are quite high and the chassis is balanced up to the limit.
When the limit makes itself known, however, guiding the nose gets a little tricky, steering weight and accuracy start to fluctuate and the ride loses some of its composure. Understeer will slowly build, which will twitch the ESP into life.
At ten-tenths, the SL won’t bother the Porsche 911 or Jaguar XK, but that’s of little relevance to the majority of SL customers.
While it may not be overly endowed with body control, chassis composure and bristling feel, Mercedes’ magnificent roadster remains utterly unique. Almost sixty years young, it’s become just about the most splendid, single-minded luxury convertible in the world. In this tester’s experience, not even Bentley, Aston Martin or Rolls-Royce provide better.
